Stretcher



A. V. BAKER Dec. 26, 1944.

STRETCHEH Filed July 16, 1942 Patented Dec. 26, 1944 UNITED STATES Pril-ErQTA OFFICE Application July is, 1942; serialb Normans In Great Britain August, 1941*` (ons-82;)

7 Claims.

This invention relates to stretchers and has for its main object to provide an improved construction or arrangement designed primarilyffor use'in emergencies where a patients injuries render the use' or manipulation of a standard stretcher difficult. `The stretcher according to the present inventionis also designed for application, When necessary,` to a standard stretcher but when used alone it enables a patient to be carried in positions other than horizontal for such purposes as transporting a patient from one level to another and through narrow openings such as ships companion ways, `staircases with sharp bends and railway coach corridors all of which are diflicult to negotiate with a standard stretcher.

According to the invention the improved stretcher comprises a light at rigid supporting member fixed to a framework,`the structure so formed tapering in thickness towards one end j so that it may be slid into position beneath a patient whose `injuries preclude lifting. Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. l is a plan View of the stretcher,

edand carried in a position othertlian horizontal a; foot rest is*` provided comprisingaj canvas or other fabric sheetitlof'4 substantially elliptical formiattachedfat'lits endsl to`ropes 8 which are Fig. 2 is a side View showing the employment i of the stretcher with a Vertical lifting or` lowerl ing sling, and i Fig. 3 is a. section to an enlarged scalejthro'ugh the tapered end of the stretcher showing the' `.means for attaching the rope sling shown in Fig. 2.

As shovvn,` the improved stretcher comprises a c o thin flat polished board l of plywood or light timber iixed on to a framework consisting of `two extending the length of the tapered runners 2 stretcher and two cross bars 3. The runners and cross bars may be constructed of hard wood or of metal, or of `woodreinforced with light strips of metal. As shown clearly in Fig. 3, one end of the structure is tapered in thickness and is reinforced by a metal covering or sheathing `il,

'said sheathing being preferably of zinc, aluminium or other non-rusting metal. Along each side of the board I handles 5 are aixed, these handles each consisting of a length of rope bound or knotted to form av hand grip and having `a portion threaded through apertures provided in the runner 2 and board I so as to form` a loop 6 on the top side of the stretcher throughz which loops, triangular bandages, straps, ropes `or like means may be passed for securing a patient in position on thestretcher. i

To enable the stretcher and patient to be liftpassed" underbrsecuredto' the' loops 6 Holes I 2 are formed in the thickest part of` the tapering runners through which liftingtackle may be quickly passed to enable the stretcher to be lifted orlowered Whilst in a substantially vertical position.

A vertical lifting sling is also provided for use with the stretcher comprising a pair of ropes 9 connected together at their upperends and` extending thelength of the stretcher, the lower ends being attached to V-shaped hooks Il] adapted to embrace the taperededge ofthe stretcher. Near the end of the stretcher remote from the tapered portion adjustable guides or eye bolts Il are provided through which the ropes 9 pass, the eyes of the bolts being spaced from the top surface of the stretcher so that when the stretcher is suspended in the sling the patient is supported at a reclining angle as shown in Fig. `2 thereby preventing the `patient falling forward and so increasing his feeling of security. The eye bolts are preferably detachable so that the whole sling `equipment may be removed when not required.

The arrangements above described enable the stretcher` to be used. in a number of ways. The tapered end and the' absence of legs or runners enables the supporting wooden board to be laid directly on the floor or ground and the patient to be slid onto it. For carrying, the rope handles can be used in cases-where the stretcher can be carried horizontally but in other cases the vertical hoist or sling arrangement can be used, the ropes attached to the canvas foot rest being crossed over the patients body which is also secured to the wooden support by bandages passed around legs, body and head. To negotiate' difficult passages, the patient secured to the stretcher as described can be tilted to any angle or can be lifted with the wooden board held in a substantially vertical plane by holding two rope handles at one side only. i

Preferably the stretcher is constructed to a width slightly less than thatl of a standard stretcher so that it can without difficulty be mounted directly upon a standard stretcher for the purpose of placing in an ambulance con-` structed only to carry standard stretchers.

I claim:

1. A stretcher comprising a relatively thin elongated board, and a framework xed to said `board and extending longitudinally/l thereof and forming a pair of runners, said structure being tapered in thickness from a substantially pointed edge at one end gradually through the greater portion of its length and at a suiciently small angle to adapt the structure to be slid endwise beneath a `reclining patient.

2. A stretcher according to claim 1, including a metal reinforcing sheathing conforming with and fitted over said' edge of the structure.

3. A stretcher according to claim l, including rope handles attached to the sides of the structure and extending through the runners, and forming loops on the face of the board to receive means for securing a patient on the stretcher.

4. Astretcher according to claim 1, including a flexible fabric forming a foot rest, loops attached along the sides of the stretcher, and ropes connected to the ends of said fabric and threaded through said loops for removably securing the foot rest to the stretcher.

5. A stretcher comprising a relatively thin board, a pair of runners secured to said board and .extending along its longitudinal edges, guiding eyes fixed to the stretcher toward one end thereof, and a lifting sling embodying a pair of ropes extending through said eyes and having hooks adapted to engage the other end of the stretcher.

6. A stretcher according to claim 5, wherein'- said guiding eyes are spaced from the upper surface of the stretcher for supporting a patient on the stretcher in a reclining position when the `stretcher is suspended by said lifting sling.

providing a foot rest at one end of thefboard,

hoisting means attached to the board and ex-v tending `from the other end of the board, and ropes connected to the ends of said sheet and extending therefrom toward the other end of the board, said ropes crossing the face of the board and extending through the loo-ps at opposite longitudinal edges of the board.

ALBERTv VICTOR BAKER. 

